(19)
(11) EP 0 404 122 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
06.02.1991 Bulletin 1991/06

(43) Date of publication A2:
27.12.1990 Bulletin 1990/52

(21) Application number: 90111683.0

(22) Date of filing: 20.06.1990
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)5A61B 1/04
(84) Designated Contracting States:
DE GB NL

(30) Priority: 22.06.1989 JP 158400/89

(71) Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa-ken 210 (JP)

(72) Inventor:
  • Fukunishi Souhei
    Nasu-gun, Tochigi-ken (JP)

(74) Representative: Blumbach, Kramer & Partner 
Patentanwälte Radeckestrasse 43
81245 München
81245 München (DE)


(56) References cited: : 
   
       


    (54) Electronic endoscope apparatus capable of observing laser-illuminated biological body portion


    (57) To prevent a halation phenomenon from forming on an endoscopic image of a laser-illuminated cavity of a biological body under medical examination, an electronic endoscope apparatus (100) comprises an electronic scope unit (10) and a main endoscope unit (20:30) coupled to the electronic scope unit (10). The electronic scope unit (10) includes:
    a laser mirror (50) upon which laser light (2) reflected from the laser-illuminated body cavity of the biological body under medical examination is incident, for reflecting a first light component (2A) having a laser light wavelength of the incident laser light (2) and also for passing therethrough a second light component (2B) having a visible light wavelength other than the laser light wavelength; a first image sensor (12A) for receiving the first light component (2A) reflected from the laser mirror (50); a second image sensor (12B) for directly receiving the second light component (2B) passing through the laser mirror (50) to produce a visible light image signal (12VS); and, an ND (neutral density) filter (8) positioned on a light-receiving surface of the first image sensor (12A), for lowering brightness of the first light component (2A) having the laser light wavelength, thereby producing a laser light image signal (12LS) from the first image sensor (12A). The main endoscope unit (20:30) processes both the laser light image signal and visible light image signal (12LS:12VS) to display an endoscopic image of the laser-illuminated body cavity without any halation phenomenon.







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